Tube-forming machine.



J. D. BEEBE.

TUBE FORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21. 1910.

Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

mm mm *m wmwfiwgm om R mm J. D. BEEBE.

TUBE FORMING MACHINE,

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21. 1910.

Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Sela-n U. BeQw/ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

JOHN D. BEEIBE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO A. C. DALLAS & 5031, O8"

. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

\ TUBE-FORMING JEACHINE.

E'of Michigan, have invented certain new and n'iIseful Improvements in Tube-Forming Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tube forming 1 0 machines in which a tube of any length.

provided with a locked seam, is formed from a strip of sheet metal while it is being fed through the machine.

The object of this invention is to provide a tube forming machine with means making it'possible and practical to direct and feed a strip ofmetal, and the tube formed there from, through and out the machine, by a force pushing, as distinguished from a P0 pulling force, feeding the metal of the tube therethrough, and this throughout the bending of the edges of the strip for subsequently forming a locked joint in the tube, the forming of the tube, locking the joint and finally depressing the locked joint in Wardly of its periphery in the absence of any pressure in excess of that required for performing any of these several operations.

Another object of this invention is to make it practical to use between the tube forming rolls and the feed rolls a series of forming dies, spaced apart, avoiding the necessity, difficulty and expense accruing to the use of a single die for performing the same bending operation, and thereby reducingthe friction between such a die and the strip, which of necessity follows the use of a single forming die.

A further object of this invention is to provide means bv which both the bending,

feeding and finally forming rolls are both yielding and adjustable with reference to each other, and at the same time inclosed by casings excluding foreign substances from their bearings and gearing, and to provide for adjusting the rollers of each pair of rolls from a point outside of said casing.

With these ends in "iew, my invention finds embodiment in certain features of novelty in the construction, combination Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 21, 1910. Serial No. 562,594.

Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

and arrangement of parts by which the sa1d objects and certain other objects are hereinafter attained, all as fully described with reference to the accompanying drawlngs, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In said drawings :Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying the invention; Fig. 2, a plan view of the same, Fig. 3, a transverse vertical section through one of the gear casings; Fig. 4, is an enlarged detail of the first pair of rplls and showing the first step in the process of formin a tube; Fig. 5, is an enlarged detail of a guide block located between the-first and second pair of rolls; Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail of a secondpair of rolls and showing the second stepfin the process; Fig. 7, is an enlarged detail oft-he first forming die showing the third .step in the process; Fig.

8 is an enlarged defiil -of-the second forming die showing the fourth step in the process; Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail of the third forming die showing the fifth step in the process; Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail of the fourth forming die showing the sixth step in the process; Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail of the fifth forming die showing the seventh step in the process; Fig. 12 is an enlarged detail of the third pair of forming rolls; and Fig. 13 is a longitudinal vertical section through all of the forming dies showing the forming mandrel and a guiding folder.

As shown in the drawings 1 represents a suitable bed plate upon which is a series of gear casings 2 in which are mounted parallel horizontallyextending shafts 3 mounted in bearings in the casings. Each shaft is mounted at its forward end in a movable bearing block 4 extending outward through slots in the front side of the casing and these blocks are adjusted and held in position by means of adjusting screws 5 and 6 extending through the top and bottom of the casing respectively into engagement with the upper and lower bearings. Between the adjustable bearings is a coiled spring 7 which holds said bearings firmly against the ends of the adjusting screws.

Motion is transmitted from the. upper or driving shaft to the lower shaft in each casing by means of gears 8 and on the outer rear ends of the upper shafts are secured sprocket wheels 9 engaged by sprocket chains 10 which transmit motion from one of the shafts 11 in one of the casings which shaft is provided with a driving pulley (not shown) and serves to drive all of the other shafts in the other casings through the medium; of said chains.

On the outwardly extendin ends of the shafts 3 adjacent to their ad ustable bearings in theend casing, are secured rolls 12 and 13 between which a strip of sheet metal is guided from a spool or roll (not shown), by a suitable adjustable guide 14. The upper'roll 12 is formed with a reduced end 15 V at one end and with a groove 16 at its opposite end. The lower ,roll 13 is formed with a flange 17 at one end and a rib 18 at its opposite end, said flange and rib mating with the reduced end and groove in the upperroll to turn the edge 19 of the sheet metal at one side of the strip 20 upward at substantially right angles to its upper face, and to form a V-groove 21 in the under side of the strip along the opposite edge thereof. This first pair of rolls thus performs the first step inthe process of forming a tube from the sheet metal strip and as said rolls are positively driven they also serve to feed the strip forward through a suitable guide 22 located just beyond the rolls, which guide is madein two parts adapted to be drawn together by screws 23 to frictionally engage the strip and put a tension thereon.

i From the guide 22 the strip passes between a second pair of rolls 24 and 25 secured to the outer ends of the shafts in the second casing. The face of the upper roll 24 is formed convex and the face of the lower roll 25 is made concave so that the body of the strip between its turned up edge or flange 19 and groove 21 will be curved transversely in passing between the rolls, the upper roll engaging the strip between said flange and groove. This second pair of rolls is also positively driven and serves to feed the strip by pushing it forward into the for- Ward end of a guiding folder 26. Adjust-- ably secured to a suitable bar 27 extending between the second and third casings, are secured a series of forming dies 28, 29, 30, 31 and 32 which are spaced a short distance apart. The guiding folder 26 extends through and is supported by the die block 28 and consists of a strip of .sheet metal which i s-curved transversely and conforms at its forward end substantially to the curve which is given the strip 20 by the rolls 24 and 25 and is then tapered and gradually roiled toward' its opposite end into an increasing transverse curve or semi tubular form, to guide and gradually form the strip 20 into semi-tubular form. The die block 28 is formed with an opening therethrough for the guiding folder and the strip, one edge of said guiding folder being turned inward slightly to form a lip 33 to engage the groove 21 of the sheet metal strip 20 and the upper side of the opening in the die block is formed to conform substantially to the outline of the strip and hold the same in place within the guiding folder.

The rear end of the guiding folder is secured to the block 29 and a hook member 04 secured to the block extends over the lip 33 adjacent thereto to hold the strip in place with'its groove 21 engaging said lip. From the rearend of; the guiding folder the partially formed tube 15 passed into a tapered forming opening in the die block 30 which opening is such as to still further curve the strip transversely. A lip 36 on said guide block projecting into the opening engages the groove in the strip and turns that edge of the strip inward.

The die block 31 is formed with a tapering opening 37 adapted to further fold the edges of the strip toward each other and bring the same into .approximately tubular formwith its flange 19 directly over and in a position to hook into its groove 21, said grooved edge of the strip being further carried inward by a lip 38 engaging said groove. The next die block 32 will bring the flan e 19 into the groove 21 and lock the edges 0 the strip together with the body of the strip foldedlnto tubular form, a shoulder 39 being provided to engage the flange 19 and force the same to turn inward into interlocked engagement with the groove. A mandrel 40 is supported in the axes of the several dies extending therethrough and tapered toward its forward end which is secured within an opening within the die block 28 to support the mandrel in position. Rearwardly of the die block 32, the mandrel is of a diameter equal to the internal diameter of the tube and is provided in its upper side with a groove 41 to receive the inturned and interlockededges forming the seam of the tube. Adjacent to the-die block 32 is a pair of rolls 42 and 43 each having a grooved face to fit the external diameter of the tube and press the seam down into the groove 41 in the mandrel. Another pair of rolls 44 and 45 are grooved similarly to the rolls 42 and 43 to further form down the tube upon the mandrel and make the same smooth upon its exterior and perfectly round in cross section. The two last mentionedpairs of rolls are positively driven in the same mann.-r that the other rolls are driven and they therefore assist in-feedin through the machine the strip which is ormed by the machine into a tube.

It should now be observed that the rolls 12 and 13 exert no pressure upon the strip except at and other than is necessary for bending its edges to form the locked joint, and that the rolls 42 and 43, as also the rolls -14 and 45, exert no pressure upon the metal of the tube further than is necessary to tighten the joint previously interlocked and depress it in the groove of the mandrel below the periphery of the tube, and in short the feeding of the strip and the tube through and out the machine is entirely due to a pushing force exerted by the rolls 24 and 25, as distinguished from feeding the strip by a drawing force.

A pushing feed of the strip and tube through and out the machine, as distinguished from pulling them through the machine, is essential to the practical operation of the machine, and an important feature of my invention for the reason that it provides for directing a feed force to the strip at the only point where it can be applied substantially across the entire face of the strip, and in such a manner as to prevent the force of the feed from buckling the strip, the partially or finally formed tube out of form, with the result thatthe strip and the tube are fed through the machine with a continuous uniformity, and as could not be if either the bending or tube finishing rolls imparted a feeding pressure to the strip and tube. It should also be observed that there is a substantial advantage in separately forming and spacing apart the forming dies as herein shown and described in that they are much cheaper of construction than a single die performing their operations in the aggregate, and for the purpose of repairs when the face of any one of them is injured, for in such case the injured die may be removed and very much more quickly and cheaply repaired than would be possible with the several dies in one piece, and, besides, less friction is produced and power required to operate the machine with the several separated dies than with a single piece die performing their several operations.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim is 1. A tube forming machine comprising in combination a pair of strip edge bending rolls, a plurality of separated bending dies, final tube forming rolls rearwardly beyond said dies, and feed rolls pushing the strip and tube forwardly between said dies and bending rolls, substantially as described.

'2. A tube forming machine comprising in combination rolls reversely bending the side I edges of a strip passing through the machine, feed rolls bending and pushing said strip forwardly between bending guides and compressing rolls, a plurality of bending dies separated from each other and locking the joints, a grooved mandrel, and rolls compressing the locked joint into said groove and within the periphery of the tube, substantially as described.

3. A tube forming machine comprising in combination means for first bending the edges of a strip of metal in several directlons for forming an interlocking olnt,

pushing feed rolls for said strip, a plurality I of separated dies forming up a tube from said strip and interlocking the joint thereof, a mandrel provided with a groove, and means for compressing the interlocked joint of the tube into said groove, substantiallyas described.

4. A tube forming machine comprising in combination bending rolls for forming up subsequently locked joints on the edges of a strip of metal, pushing feed rolls for and partially bending said strip, a plurality of separated dies forward of said feed rolls finally bending and interlocking said strip in tubular form, and rolls forward of said dies for finally compressing said joint, substantially as described.

5. A tube forming machine comprising a bed plate, a plurality of casings on said bed each provided with bearings in one side and slots in its opposite side, transverse shafts engaging said bearings and pnojecting through the slots, movable bearing blocks in each casing for the shafts adjacent to said slots, a spring in each casing between the bearing blocks, adjusting screws in each casing engaging the upper side of the upper block and the lower side of the lower block, gears on the shafts Within the casings, means on one of the shafts of each casing outside the casing for turning the shafts, a pair of rolls on the shafts of one casing having grooves and flanges for forming a V-groove along one edge of a strip of sheet metal and an upturned flange at the other edge, a second pair of rolls on the shafts of one casing the lower one of which rolls is formed with a concave peripheral edge and the upper roll with a mating convex edge, a series of forming dies adjacent to the second pair of rolls for bending the strip tranversely into tubular form, said dies being each formed with a projection to engage the groove in the strip and guide said grooved edge inward beneath the flanged edge of the strip to interlock therewith and form an inside seam, a tapered mandrel supported in the openings of said dies and formed with a longitudinal groove to receive the interlocked edges of the strip forming the seam, said grooved portion of said mandrel being of a diameter substantially equal to the internal diameter of the In testimony whereof I have affixed my formed tube, and a. third pair of rolls 011. signature in presence of 'two witnesses. one of the casings having perip era grooves of semi-circular form in cross-sec- JOHN BEEBP" 5 tion to engage the formed tube and form Witnesses:

the same down upon the mandrel with its LEWIS E. FLANDERS, interlocked edges Within said groove. Ono F. BARTHEL, 

